[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by brat001

hey, just got back from a weekend trip from pondy, well did stay at st james too,the route there is not too good,bad roads,hit a pothole at 120 and suffered a tyre blow as a result. Overall,wife and kids (also me) really had a blast,rk, you should have gone to auroville, and also tried the great "wood baked" pizzas. Food in auroville area is rather good and cheap as well(but for the millions of flies )Sr james or any of the resorts around that area of the beach are good as it isnt too crowded.The beach around repo area is terrible and rather crowded.Main pondy city dosent really have a beach so to say.just rocky. was impressed with the new walk way that has been constructed. the city looks rather spruced up from the last time i had been there, also the renovated le cafe (supposedly 24 hrs now) was a welcome change.

The last pic of chocolate croissant is from le cafe . In fact i got myself a coffee mug from le cafe which has "Pondicherry" name on it. Will post the pic of it soon.
And you are right the resorts on the ECR road are not crowded much.
I hope nothing major happened when you hit the pothole.

[navan49]

Dear Weekenders,
You could have tried a meal in Auroville. There is a small neat and clean retaurent opposite of that handicraft emporium near the visitors gallery. We had a french lunch which cost just 150 and it was wonderful.You can have coffee tea with out sugar and you can add either jaggery or sugar which is kept outside. You can see the photo of the building next to the restaurent. The restaurent is under the green tent.A building is inside. The other photo is a beautiful naked tree captured during one of my visits.

[navan49]

The picture of the tree failed to up load. Any how let me try here.

[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by navan49

Dear Weekenders,
You could have tried a meal in Auroville. There is a small neat and clean retaurent opposite of that handicraft emporium near the visitors gallery. We had a french lunch which cost just 150 and it was wonderful.You can have coffee tea with out sugar and you can add either jaggery or sugar which is kept outside. You can see the photo of the building next to the restaurent. The restaurent is under the green tent.A building is inside. The other photo is a beautiful naked tree captured during one of my visits.

Will definitely visit this restaurant next time. As far as i saw in pondy, there are lot of variety of restaurants. So there is no problem about food at all. Isn't it right @navan49.

[navan49]

Hi Rk,

You are right! There are plenty of good restaurants. Just little off side of the beach. The streets parallel to the parks are having good restaurants like Pizza place and Mass restaurant. For eating no problem in Pondy. There is a restaurant called Bean also near the Aditi Hotel.

[Gansan]

We are driving to Pondy on Sunday. I would like to know the current road conditions of

a) The Tindivanam - Pondy road

b) The connecting road between NH45 and ECR - The one that turns off from Vandalur zoo. There were some very bad stretches in the last mile before ECR when I went that way a few months ago.

c) If there are any rain damaged stretches on the ECR itself.

[navan49]

Gans,

The road from Tindivanam Pondy is good. Only the problem is that you have to take diversion time to time either on the left half or on the right half. The Vandalur Kelambakkam Kovalam link is good. Only few meters near Kelambakkam can be tolerated. The whole ECR is fine. I am going tomorrow any changes see the psot tomorrow night. My trip Medavakkam Sholinganallur-OMR Mahabali puram Pondy Tindivanam, Melmaruvathur Tambaram Medavakkam.

[Gansan]

Thank you sir! I will check again tomorrow night. The purpose is to visit the Ashram and it is closest when we enter Pondy from the ECR. But my mother feels intimidated by the oncoming vehicles on the ECR and feels much more relaxed on the NH 45, so I keep both options open.

[esteem_lover]

Nice travelogue. James Court is not the same as it was 2 years ago. But still it holds good value regarding the rooms, beach etc. Forget the food there except for the complimentary breakfast.

[navan49]

Hi Sir,

We met face to face yesterday. when you took your alto from MSM. The car was brought by serviceadviser Babu till the gate of MSM. In the gate you took the driver seat. I saw the car behind but you drove away. A narrow escape. I am the navan to whom your service adviser talked, before leaving the wheels to you. I posted in the spotted column. Is your car with ending number 6008. Ok. Sure we will meet again. Now let me know from where you start. Based on that I will tell you. Being a tea teetotaler I am very regular to Pondy. You can rely on me. If you start at either route at 6 am it will be nice and you won't get on coming vehicles in ECR. ECR On the way you can have a dharshan of Nithya kalyana perumal in Thiruvidandhai, Then you can reach Auro ville at 9.30. Finish the visit before 11. Go to Ashram at 11.30 and have dharshan there till 12 Noon. Immediately go to Manakula Vinayagar and finish Dharshan before 1pm. Then you an make your own plans till 3pm and back from NH45 and have a dharshan at Melmaruvathur and come home around 6pm. Any queries pl post i will give details. May I know what was the reason for askin about Vandalur Kelambakkam road. Note of Caution. Ashram Close at 12 Noon and re opens at 2pm. manakula closes at 1pm and reopen at 4 Pm.

[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Nice travelogue. James Court is not the same as it was 2 years ago. But still it holds good value regarding the rooms, beach etc. Forget the food there except for the complimentary breakfast.

Thanks @esteem_lover, it was indeed one of your trips helped in lot to make this trip.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by navan49

We met face to face yesterday. when you took your alto from MSM. The car was brought by serviceadviser Babu till the gate of MSM. In the gate you took the driver seat. I saw the car behind but you drove away. A narrow escape. I am the navan to whom your service adviser talked, before leaving the wheels to you. I posted in the spotted column. Is your car with ending number 6008. Ok. Sure we will meet again. Now let me know from where you start. Based on that I will tell you. May I know what was the reason for askin about Vandalur Kelambakkam road. Note of Caution. Ashram Close at 12 Noon and re opens at 2pm. manakula closes at 1pm and reopen at 4 Pm.

Oh, so near and yet so far! I would have loved to meet you. I am sure we will see each other in a bhp meet soon. I will start from home at R.P. Road, Chromepet-the road taken by bus route #52B to reach Hastinapuram-cross MIT flyover to reach the GST road and proceed till Vandalur. From there I will either proceed straight on NH 45 or turn left to access the ECR. Normally we go via Tindivanam and return via ECR. We have not ventured on the highway since the rains, hence the query.

[navan49]

Sir,
The road on both side are fine. I started at 6am. Reached at Auroville at 10.00 am after visiting Mahabs. Had seen tha Matri mandir and stared back to Ashram and finished the Dharshan before 12.00 and had the dharshan of Manakular before Nadai sahthal. Then went to the beach and started through Tindivanam at 3.00Pm and reached back at 7.00 Pm.In between we spend some time stopping and resting. The roads are as it was. Still the work is going on between Pondy Tindivanam.Frequent diversion to this half and that half. Some places the black top is not smooth. Regarding ECR it was very fine through out and the drive was smoother than Tindivanam Pondy Road. The on coming vehicles were not at all much in the morning. Of course there are lots of tourists in Auroville Ashram and manakular's place. But no where the time was consumed. Hava a nice trip.Happy new Year and the Saints and the Gods may bless you with all you need in 2020. Next week my trip is to Golden Temple.

[Gansan]

Thanks for the info. How did you go to Matri Mandir? Don't we need to take prior permission? Can we go directly?

[jo_paw]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Thanks for the info. How did you go to Matri Mandir? Don't we need to take prior permission? Can we go directly?

Please visit the auroville official site for details Matrimandir access policy for visitors